1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to flashlights, and more particularly to an improved flashlight assembly for easy insertion, storage and removable from an ashtray opening in a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
As is well known, the need for a flashlight frequently arises when one is traveling in a vehicle. Therefore, many vehicle operators carry a flashlight someplace in the vehicle, such as in a glove compartment, or in a trunk. Such flashlights take up space and are often hard to reach or forgotten and, in many instances when attempted to be used, it is found that the batteries are dead.
One attempt to overcome this problem of having a flashlight readily available is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,643 to Leach, which discloses combination courtesy lights and flashlights which are slidably mounted in receptacles having there own power supplies added to the door or roof of the vehicle. This patent, however, requires the owner or user of the vehicle to go to the trouble and expense of adding the receptacle and power supply to the vehicle in a convenient location, that might interfere with other items in the doors or roof of the vehicle.
However, with present day interest in health and the fear of tobacco smoke in enclosed places, the acceptance of smoking in vehicles has been declining sharply. Therefore, the use of ashtrays mounted in vehicles has shown a sharp drop off in usage. Increasingly vehicle owners are gluing ashtrays in the closed position, removing the ashtrays from the vehicle, or using the ashtrays to hold other items, such as, for example, change. Vehicle manufacturers continue to market vehicles with ashtrays therein, and these ashtrays and/or openings for holding such ashtrays as well as the ashtrays in existing vehicles end up merely taking up space that could be used for other purposes, or are used as set forth above. Therefore, in addition to the above set forth actions, many vehicle owners have added additional items to the ashtrays or replaced the ashtray, in an effort to utilize the ashtray and or its holding space.
A known device for use in a vehicle ashtray is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,772 to Phifer, which discloses drink holders which may be pivotably or slidably mounted in an ashtray or in an ashtray holding socket of vehicle. The ashtray of the vehicle may be removed from the vehicle and one of the drink holders of the Phifer patent mechanically inserted therein for movement into and out of the ashtray socket, or the ashtray of the vehicle may be modified to hold one or more drink holding rings, which mechanically pivot away from the ashtray. In one of the embodiments disclosed in this patent, the ashtray may still function as a conventional ashtray.
Various other U.S. patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,963 to Dabringhaus et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,738 to Nehl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,735 to Hiltman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,742 to Pellegrino, U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,274 to Howell, and Des Pat. 295,450 to Iscovelli disclose ashtrays with flashlights, means for replacing or modifying vehicle ashtrays, or the mechanical mounting of lights in openings, to solve known problems, or to modify existing structures, as specifically indicated therein. However, none of these patents, disclose a removable flashlight which is formed in substantially the same shape as an ashtray, so as to cooperate with and be easily inserted into and removed from the existing ashtray opening, or socket of a vehicle. There, therefore, exists a need for a simple, low-cost and easy to manufacture, install and use flashlight means or system, useful in many situations, but which is particularly useful for installation in an ashtray opening of a vehicle, and which has the shape of the ashtray which is removed from the opening, so as to blend into or be integrated with a vehicle dashboard. Such a flashlight provides the illusion that the ashtray is still in position, when inserted in the ashtray socket, but is readily accessible and easily removed and used when needed.